


Rocky Horror And Chill

by AceyEnn



Series: Pearlmethystbomb 2.0 [3]
Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: F/F, Halloween, Human AU, Rocky Horror, Shakespeare, office romances
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-13
Updated: 2016-02-13
Packaged: 2018-05-20 03:09:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5989902
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AceyEnn/pseuds/AceyEnn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Pearl and Amethyst go to their company's Halloween party, but Amethyst has other ideas.</p>
<p>Written for Pearlmethystbomb 2.0.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rocky Horror And Chill

Pearl Finnegan was rather happy with her job, all things considered.

 

Programming was something she’d always had a knack for. In fact, she actually found it rather enjoyable. And while Quartz Enterprises was growing by the day, she loved the close-knit atmosphere that the company managed to maintain for its employees. The salary was excellent, the benefits shockingly good. Yes, it was the perfect job.

 

The only thing she took issue with was the holiday parties. Rose Quartz, the CEO of Quartz Enterprises, loved to throw parties--and much to Pearl’s chagrin, attendance was mandatory. The one party she got any enjoyment out of was the annual Halloween party, and that was just because it was an excuse to pull out her sewing machine and make something nice.

 

She’d put a lot of effort into her costume this year, and considered it to be the best one she’d ever made. A meticulously-sewn gown, made as accurate to late 16th century Danish attire as possible; extensions for her ginger hair (she’d always hated the feeling of wigs), with flowers carefully woven in. (Fake flowers, of course, but ones that at least  _ looked  _ realistic.) Foundation to cover her copious freckles--she was already pale-skinned, but she didn’t quite think freckles were in vogue at the time--paired with black mascara, red lipstick, and a hefty dusting of rouge.

 

Pearl was going to be the best damn Ophelia ever.

 

\---

 

As per usual, the party was overwhelming. She said her polite hellos to everyone, many of whom complimented her handiwork (which, of course, made her swell with pride). She ate a few hors d’oeuvres, though none of them seemed especially appetizing save for the mini-quiches. And she had a lovely chat with Rose, as always.

 

Of course, all that drained the majority of her social energy for the day. Pearl wasn’t a people person. In addition to being incredibly introverted, she just had very little in the way of social skills, She couldn’t leave just yet--she’d only been there an hour, it would probably be considered rude--but she could definitely go sit in one of the folding chairs off to the side of the room, and that was exactly what she did.

 

She pulled her Kindle out of her purse and began to read. Pearl always kept  _ something _ to read in her purse, be it digital or physical, and she quite wanted to finish the book she’d been reading. Ulysses wasn’t exactly light reading material, but dammit, she was  _ so close _ to the e--

 

“Ey, Pearl!”

 

Pearl slammed the e-reader’s cover shut in frustration, looking over at the girl who had just sat down right next to her--Amethyst Diaz, a tech support worker who Pearl had noticed primarily because of her embracing the company’s complete lack of any sort of dress code with gusto. They’d spoken a fair bit, mostly during their cigarette breaks, and while she found the shorter girl to be nice enough, she also found her more than a little obnoxious at times.

 

At times. Sometimes she thought she was rather fun to be around, and they’d been talking a lot more lately. And there was no denying that Amethyst was pretty cute.

 

(Not that she’d ever  _ act _ on any such thoughts, of course. It was, as far as Pearl could tell, a universal truth that you didn’t date your coworkers, even if they worked in a different department.)

 

“What do you want, Amethyst?”

 

Amethyst shrugged. “I’m bored. And you’re like, the only cool person here aside from Rose and Garnet, and they’re both doing other things, so...yeah.”

 

Pearl looked her over. It seemed the other woman was dressed as some sort of maid, though she had, for whatever reason, thoroughly crimped and curled her hair.

 

Amethyst rolled her eyes. “What, you can’t figure out who I’m dressed up as?”

 

“Sexy maid?”

 

“Ugh! I’m  _ Magenta.  _ Y’know, from Rocky Horror?”

 

Pearl shrugged. “I’ve never seen it.”

 

“Whaaaat? How have you never seen Rocky Horror? What kind of queer are you?”

 

“Okay, first off, that’s not what I prefer to label myself as--”

 

“Fine. Lesbian. What kind of  _ lesbian _ are you?”

 

“...The kind who’s not interested in movies, as a rule.”

 

“And yet you’re into theater. I mean, look at that getup, you’re  _ obviously _ Ophelia. And there’s no way a nerd like you hasn’t been to one of the local Shakespeare productions. They hold them, like, every week.”

 

“Theater is  _ different. _ ”

 

“How? You’re watching a bunch of people pretending to be other people. They’re basically the same damn thing.”

 

“...Alright. Fair enough. But that kind of... _ thing _ has never been my cup of tea.”

 

“Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it, P.” Amethyst leaned back in her chair--well, as far as she could, given that the chair was maybe two inches from the wall at the most. “Plus, the place that shows it every month has that whole shadowcast thing going on, which is  _ literally  _ theater. God, I am  _ so _ taking you sometime. I mean, it runs pretty late, but my apartment’s super close. You could crash at my place.”

 

“Give me one good reason, and I’ll consider it.”

 

Amethyst grinned. “We could get to know each other better, babe.”

 

“...Did you just call me  _ babe _ ?”

 

“Uh,  _ yeah _ , ‘cause that’s what you are.”

 

“And here I thought you thought of me as, and I quote, ‘a total tightass who hates fun and has probably never gotten laid, ever.’”

 

“Well...that too. It’s not like they’re mutually exclusive!” Amethyst’s expression turned serious. “Really. You’re super hot, and I know you think  _ I’m _ super hot. And you’re actually pretty fun to talk to most of the time, when you’re not being a snooty bitch.”

 

“I’ll admit that I find you to be pretty fun to talk to most of the time as well, when you’re not behaving like an annoying teenager.”

 

“Hey, I’m twenty-four! God, just because I’m short doesn’t mean I’m a kid, Pearl.”

 

“It’s a behavioral thing, Amethyst.”

 

“Still. You’ve gotta do something fun at  _ some _ point in your life. So why not now?”

 

“...Now?”

 

“Yeah, they’re playin’ it tonight. Wanna blow this joint and catch the world’s gayest movie with me?”

 

Pearl thought it over. It was as good an excuse as any to leave the party, and she definitely wouldn’t object to an opportunity to actually hang out with Amethyst outside of work. It wasn’t like anyone else ever invited her to things...well, aside from the stupid holiday parties.

 

“...Fine. But only if you come to the next Beach City Shakespeare production with me. They’re doing A Midsummer Night’s Dream next week, that’s always a good one.”

 

“Nerd. But yeah, I’m down for that.”

 

Pearl hadn’t quite been expecting Amethyst to accept the offer, and yet she found herself glad that she had. A smile crossed her face.

 

“Let’s go, then.”

 

(Maybe what they'd all said about office romances was bullshit after all.)

 

\---

 

The movie, Pearl had to admit, was a pretty enjoyable experience, but not quite as nice as hanging out at Amethyst’s messy little studio a few blocks down. 

 

“So, you’re gay too, then?” Pearl finally asked, popping open another beer. It wasn’t her usual poison, but it was all Amethyst had in her fridge, and it would’ve been impolite to refuse the offer, in her opinion. Besides, opening up to her was a bit easier when tipsy.

 

“Nah, I’m pan. Girls, boys, both, neither, they’re all pretty great in my book. I swing basically every way. Like, you know that spinny swing ride down at the boardwalk? I’m like that.”

 

“But you do like girls.”

 

“Duh. Why else would I have asked you to hang with me?”

 

“Because you thought it would be fun?”

  
“That too, but mostly I just wanted to actually...y’know, get to know you. Like, yeah, you’re annoying as shit sometimes, but I’m still pretty into you.”

 

“So this is a date.”

 

“If you want it to be a date, sure.”

 

“...I think I might.”

 

The smile on Amethyst’s overly-made-up face might’ve been the most beautiful thing Pearl had ever seen. Yes. She  _ did _ want that.

 

Pearl took Amethyst by the shoulders, and Amethyst, clearly getting the cue, leaned in. It was a sloppy kiss that tasted like cheap beer and mini-quiches and the general taste of spit, but it was the best kiss she’d ever had.

 

“So...would you mind if the Shakespeare thing ended up being a date as well?”

 

“What, you think I’d say no to another date? This one went great, P. Yeah, it is  _ totally  _ going to be a date. Your place next time?”

  
“That’d be nice.”   
  
(And it was.)


End file.
